The race to the runoff: Cruz campaign war chest far outweighs Dewhurst

Tea party sweetheart Ted Cruz had nearly 14 times more cash on hand as of July 11 to power through the final haul for the Republican runoff election July 31 than his establishment-backed opponent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the latest federal reports show.

The former state solicitor general had about $1.5 million in his campaign war chest, compared to the $107,343 in Dewhurst’s campaign reserves, Federal Election Commission reports detailing campaign finances from July 1 to July 11 show. Cruz saw $522,602 in net contributions during that time frame, while Dewhurst pulled in just $160,392 for the race to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Dallas.

“Well clearly, you know, Dewhurst can put as much money as he wants to into the race,” she said. “So whatever he has right now is subject to change, just in terms of not only fundraising from supporters, but what’s in his wallet — with him more than with many other candidates — is kind of open question.”

Dewhurst, whose personal fortune would rank him among the richest of U.S. senators, if elected, has burned through $18.8 million this election cycle. His worth a net average of $177 million and he has loaned himself $16.5 million out-of-pocket to win a seat in the Capitol.

In addition, Dewhurst donated $3,000 to himself between July 1 and July 11, according to the reports. That makes for a total of $22,147 that he has self-contributed throughout the election cycle. While individuals cannot contribute more than $2,500 to a candidate per election, there is no ceiling on how much a candidate can donate to his or her own cause.

The Cruz campaign has spent a total of about $7.3 million, about half the cash his Austin powerhouse opponent has bled, according to the reports. Cruz has lent his campaign slightly more than $1 million but has not donated any funds to his own Senate bid.

But each Republican has raised comparable totals from individuals.

Dewhurst has received $7.2 million from individuals, slightly less than the $7.9 million in individual contributions funneled into the Cruz campaign.

“We have raised more money in smaller amounts, because all over Texas, grassroots activists are rallying behind this campaign,” Cruz spokesman James Bernsen said.

More than a third of Dewhurst’s money for the July 1 to July 11 period closing into the runoff — $49,500 — came from groups like political action committees, through which donors linked to corporations, unions, interest groups or advocacy organizations can pool their contributions to elect or defeat a candidate. Cruz rolled in $16,000 from those sources.

Cruz shelled out a little more cash on campaigning in the reporting period than the lieutenant governor, spending $536,684 compared to Dewhurst’s $498,721 in expenditures.

The Texas Senate race is the most expensive in the country, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, with nearly $37 million spent so far. It has also raised the second-most of Senate contests, at $39 million, behind the $47 million raised for the Massachusetts Senate battle between Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., and his Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.